Calgary’s (lone) Liberal voice - A conversation with Corey Hogan
In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge sits down for a wide-ranging conversation with Calgary Confederation Liberal MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Corey Hogan.Despite hopes for a Liberal breakthrough in the recent federal election, Hogan was the only Liberal to prevail amid the blue Conservative sea that is Calgary and was one of only two Liberals elected in the province of Alberta.We discuss his decision to enter that pivotal campaign and how they managed to grind out a victory. We also delve into the aftermath of the campaign and the sudden prominence and responsibility that landed on Hogan as the lone Liberal MP from Calgary. Hogan also shares his thoughts on the challenges facing Alberta and the rest of the country right now and the big decisions now facing the government. Plus, Hogan addresses the Alberta-Ottawa relationship and why he felt compelled to speak out against the separatists.
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Going nuclear - Is Canada’s oil and gas heartland now poised to embrace nuclear energy?
In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge highlights a couple of unique perspectives on the question of Alberta’s nuclear future. Alberta's premier has launched a new process to explore the possibility of adding nuclear capacity to Alberta's power mix. Between a growing population and expanding electrification, Alberta’s power demand is growing. But with the province’s ambition to be a hub for AI data centres - and with Ottawa’s Clean Electricity Regulations - Alberta needs to somehow balance a massive expansion to the power grid while also keeping emissions in check. That’s where nuclear energy could come in.We’ll be joined by Scott Henuset, president and CEO of Energy Alberta - they’re hoping to build a standing nuclear power facility in northeastern Alberta. We’ll find out why they’re so optimistic about the potential for nuclear power in this province - and how they plan to overcome some of the resistance and concerns that still exist around this technology. Plus, we’ll hear from Dr. Duane Bratt, professor of political science at Mount Royal University. Part of his research focuses on Canadian nuclear policy and he also teaches on the science and politics around nuclear energy. We’ll look at the history around this conversation in Alberta and get his perspective on whether the government is really serious this time about jumping on the nuclear bandwagon.
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The economic benefits and pitfalls of Alberta's reliance on energy development
In this episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge is joined by Dr. Kent Fellows, assistant professor of economics at the University of Calgary and fellow-in-residence at the C.D. Howe Institute. Sagging oil prices have once again highlighted the perils of Alberta’s over-reliance on energy revenues, even if the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion has helped to provide a revenue boost. This fiscal uncertainty comes at a time when Alberta is hoping Ottawa can deliver on some major new energy infrastructure - including, of course, a new pipeline - and potentially help pave the way for economic and energy corridors that could allow such projects to be fast-tracked in the future. We’ll get some insight from Prof. Fellows on the economics underlying all of this: the implications of fluctuating oil prices on Alberta’s budget, the challenges of pipeline capacity and infrastructure development, as well as the political factors in the energy debate that often cloud what economic considerations.
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Alberta Provincial Police Force - Meeting Alberta’s policing needs, or serving Alberta’s political agenda?
In this episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge delves into the future of policing in Alberta and whether that will - or should - involve the creation of an Alberta Provincial Police Force. The RCMP contract for community policing ends in 2032, and we may see the RCMP exit community policing altogether in favour of a more focused, national mandate. At the same time, however, the idea of Alberta shedding a federal institution in favour of something Alberta-made and Alberta-branded has taken on added political significance. The UCP government is keen on establishing greater autonomy for Alberta and this change is seen as one way of accomplishing that.We’ll hear in this episode from Kara Westerlund, president of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta. They’re worried about the impact such a change could have on their communities and their budgets, and they feel like their voices are not being heard in this debate. Plus, we’ll also get some perspective from Mount Royal University criminology professor Dr. Kelly Sundberg who has been following and studying this issue for years - what are the costs and benefits of establishing an Alberta Provincial Police Force?
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All eyes on Battle River - Crowfoot. Why an Alberta byelection has taken on national significance
In this episode of The Line: Alberta, Rob Breakenridge and Bonnie Critchley discuss the byelection campaign in the Alberta riding of Battle River - Crowfoot. Bonnie is a resident of the riding and a 22-year veteran of the Canadian Forces. She has stepped forward as an independent candidate in this byelection, and has made quite an impact on the race. Critchley shares her thoughts on how voters feel about going back to the polls so soon, how they feel about Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre landing in the riding after losing his own seat, the antics of the Longest Ballot Committee, and the issues that are dominating the conversation among folks in this sprawling east-central Alberta riding.
The Line: Alberta Podcast, hosted by veteran broadcaster and columnist Rob Breakenridge, is a weekly show that takes a closer look at stories that matter to Albertans and all Canadians. For more, go to Alberta.ReadTheLine.ca.
Canada - english